Method for manufacturing heat pipe with ultra-thin capillary structure

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a hollow tube body, and pre-manufacturing a capillary structure that is shaped as a thin plate, the capillary structure having an adhering surface attached to a partial portion of an inner wall of the tube body and a forming surface that is opposite to the adhering surface; (b) disposing the capillary structure into the tube body so as to let the adhering surface be attached to the partial portion of the inner wall of the tube body for positioning; and (c) pressing the tube body in order to let the inner wall of the tube body urge on a partial portion of the forming surface of the capillary structure, and a vapor channel being formed between the capillary structure and the inner wall of the tube body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure, comprising the steps of:
 (a) preparing a hollow tube body ( 4 ), and pre-manufacturing a capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) that is shaped as a thin plate, the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) having an adhering surface ( 10  or  10 ′) attached to a partial portion of an inner wall of the tube body ( 4 ) and a forming surface ( 11  or  11 ′) that is opposite to the adhering surface ( 10  or  10 ′);   (b) disposing the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) into the tube body ( 4 ) so as to let the adhering surface ( 10  or  10 ′) be attached to the partial portion of the inner wall of the tube body ( 4 ) for positioning; and   (c) pressing the tube body ( 4 ) in order to let the inner wall of the tube body ( 4 ) urge on a partial portion of the forming surface ( 11  or  11 ′) of the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ), and a vapor channel being formed between the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) and the inner wall of the tube body ( 4 ).   
     
     
         2 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) in step (a) is pre-manufactured by a sintering process or a pressing process. 
     
     
         3 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) is pre-manufactured through a sintering mold ( 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) is pre-formed as a curved thin plate through sintering metal powders or fibers, and then is disposed into an extrusion die ( 3 ) for shaping. 
     
     
         5 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 1 , wherein two sides of the forming surface ( 11 ) of the capillary structure ( 1 ) elongate to form two capillary transmission surfaces ( 110 ) respectively, each of the capillary transmission surfaces ( 110 ) and the forming surface ( 11 ) being shaped as continuously concave arcs. 
     
     
         6 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the capillary structure ( 1 ′) has a tapered shape to have a thickness thereof gradually reduced from one top edge ( 112 ) to the other end edge. 
     
     
         7 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the capillary transmission surface ( 110 ′) has a supporting portion ( 111 ). 
     
     
         8 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 1 , wherein a fixture ( 5  or  5 ′) is used to position the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′) in step (b). 
     
     
         9 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 8 , wherein the fixture ( 5  or  5 ′) is a rod member and is in the tube body ( 4 ), the fixture ( 5  or  5 ′) having a relative surface ( 50  or  50 ′) and an abutting surface ( 51  or  51 ′), the relative surface ( 50  or  50 ′) corresponding to the forming surface ( 11  or  11 ′) of the capillary structure ( 1  or  1 ′), and the abutting surface ( 51  or  51 ′) being opposite to the relative surface ( 50  or  50 ′) and urging on the partial portion of the inner wall of the tube body ( 4 ). 
     
     
         10 . The method for manufacturing a heat pipe with an ultra-thin capillary structure according to  claim 9 , wherein a reserved gap ( 52 ) is between the fixture ( 5 ) and the inner wall of the tube body ( 4 ) after the fixture ( 5 ) is disposed in the tube body ( 4 ).